Family Recipe Turned Fast-Food Hit

Despite swearing she would never follow her father or grandfather’s footsteps into the falafel business, Anat Apter ended up doing just that – and with great success.

- Glenneis Kriel

anat Apter has gone from selling food at the Bruma Lake flea market in Johannesburg to owning a national franchise with over 20 outlets. This is thanks to her unique Middle Eastern fast food and a focus on quality. She talked to finweek about her business journey.

What did you do before you started Anat?

I was mainly a housewife taking care of my three children. I made money on the side, baking for functions. For a while, I also imported and sold leather handbags from Europe. I completed a travel agent course just before I decided to open a food stall at the Bruma Lake flea market. In the end, I opened the food stall as I reasoned that selling food would generate income faster than selling airline tickets.

Why did you decide to start Anat Falafel in 1991?

My grandfather, Solomon Barzilai, worked in a falafel shop in Egypt as a teenager, where he learnt to make falafel. He later started his own falafel business after getting married (and having 12 children). My father, Jacob Barzilai, took over the business when my grandfather decided to retire.

I swore I would never follow the same path, but when our family struck financial difficulties, it seemed like the best way out. My mother, Mazal Barzilai, always used to tell me: “If you ever need money, open a falafel shop.” In retrospect that must have been the best business advice I have ever received.

Why did it seem like a great idea at the time?

Falafel is a unique product and nobody else was selling it anywhere in South Africa at the time. Furthermore, I was confident that my falafel recipe was nothing short of excellent, as it is based on the original way my grandfather used to make it. The thought never crossed my mind that I might fail.

How did you start selling your product?